lIliniUli;il.U^lJLJLilAJ,AJLllJLAlll,Ut.JLlIlllllAAl^IUAAA/ 


JOSEPHBENJAMIN 
OAKLEAF- 


LINCOLN  ROOM 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 


MEMORIAL 

the  Class  of  1901 

founded  by 

HARLAN  HOYT  HORNER 

and 

HENRIETTA  CALHOUN  HORNER 


LIFE  OF 
OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 

FOUNDER  AND  COLLECTOR 

of 
LINCOLN  MEMENTOS 


By 
Wm.  Burton  Benham 


Copyright 

Washington,  D.  C. 

1927 


Copyright,  1927,  by 
0.  H.  OLDROYD 


OSBORN   H.  OLDROYD 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


http://www.archive.org/details/lifeofosbornholdOObenh 


/-Week  Room 


PREFACE 

I  have  wandered  through  the  experiences  of  an  exceptional 
youth,  brave  soldier  and  patriotic  citizen. 

I  esteem  it  a  privilege  to  have  gleaned  from  Osborn  H. 
Oldroyd  the  facts  set  forth  in  this  little  volume  and  it  has 
afforded  me  much  pleasure  in  reviewing  and  commenting  on 
a  life  so  well  ordered  and  of  such  exceptional  merit. 

There  are  elements  in  his  life  which  invest  his  work  with 
peculiar  interest  and  fascination.  His  inflexible  determina- 
tion to  accomplish  something  worth  while,  that  has  resisted 
every  lure  that  digression  could  summon  or  disaster  invite, — 
has  crowned  at  last  his  purposeful  efforts,  and  posterity  will 
be  the  gainer  for  his  having  lived  and  wrought  in  the  wonder- 
ful era  comprised  in  the  period  of  his  activities. 

The  guiding  thought  prompting  the  publication  of  this 
book  has  been  to  set  forth  in  a  simple  and  sincere  way  the  facts 
that  disclose  the  elements  that  combine  and  proclaim  a  suc- 
cessful life  j  also  to  perpetuate  the  name  and  fame  of  the  man 
who  devoted  sixty-six  years  in  gathering  the  interesting  col- 
lection of  Lincoln  relics  which  became  the  property  of  the 
United  States  August  30,  1926. 

W.  B.  B. 


W.  B.  Benham 

3919  McKinley  St., 
Washington,  D.  C. 


CAPTAIN  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 

Collector  of 
Lincoln  Mementos 

With  characteristic  modesty  and  his  regard  of  exact  state- 
ment, the  subject  of  this  sketch  states  that  he  was  discharged 
from  the  U.  S.  Military  Service  as  a  Sergeant,  and  in  his  esti- 
mation that  is  the  only  rank  to  which  he  is  entitled. 

In  view  of  his  long  and  distinguished  service  as  attested  by 
the  Colonel  under  whom  he  served,  it  is  believed  that  he  is 
entitled  to  the  rank  of  Captain  as  his  military  and  civil  friends 
are  always  pleased  to  address  him.  He  cared  nothing  for  the 
glamor  of  military  rank  and  insignia  during  the  war  and  has 
cared  nothing  for  it  since.  Duty  performed  during  the  war, 
was  his  only  ambition  and  that  rendered  and  the  war  ended, 
he  was  satisfied  to  lay  aside  the  implements  of  war  and  to 
take  up  the  pursuit  of  peace  and  happiness  that  were  made 
possible  by  the  sacrifice  of  lives  and  treasure  in  the  great  con- 
flict of  the  Civil  War. 

Captain  Oldroyd  was  born  near  Mt.  Vernon,  Ohio,  July 
31,  1842.  His  parentage  was  English  on  his  father's  side 
and  American  on  his  mother's  side.  The  first  seven  years  of 
his  life  were  spent  on  a  farm  in  Wayne  Co.,  Ohio.  He  was 
educated  in  the  common  schools  and  the  Knox  County  School. 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 


In  his  eighteenth  year  he  opened  a  news  stand  in  Mt. 
Vernon. 

When  the  political  campaign  opened  in  the  summer  of 
1 860,  he  found  among  a  bundle  of  newspapers,  a  little  book 
entitled  "Life,  Speeches  and  Public  Services  of  'Abram'  Lin- 
coln together  with  a  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Hannibal  Hamlin" 
it  being  the  Wigwam  Edition  of  the  Republican  Campaign 
Handbook  of  1860. 

Young  Oldroyd  read  it  carefully  and  concluded  that  any 
man  having  had  only  six  month's  schooling  and  accomplished 
what  Mr.  Lincoln  had  in  life,  from  poverty  to  the  candidacy 
of  a  great  political  party,  must  be  an  unusual  man  and  one  who 
would  make  a  good  President.  He  read  and  re-read  the  story 
of  "Abram"  Lincoln's  uphill  climb  to  fame  and  fortune.  He 
became  completely  engrossed  in  a  resolution  to  devote  his 
life  to  the  collection  of  every  available  thing  that  was  asso- 
ciated with  the  life  of  his  new  found  ideal.  With  unfailing 
devotion  he  pursued  his  quest  and  gathered  pictures,  auto- 
graph letters,  speeches,  newspaper  articles  and  every  memento 
that  he  could  secure  by  contribution  or  purchase. 

Captain  Oldroyd  has  preserved  the  little  book  for  over 
sixty-six  years  and  it  is  in  a  good  state  of  preservation  at  this 
time. 

Wishing  to  know  just  what  had  impressed  him  the  most 
and  what  was  said  of  the  martyred  President  so  many  years 
ago,  the  writer  requested  the  privilege  of  glancing  over  the 
pages  of  the  book.     Captain  Oldroyd  untacked  the  back  of 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 


O.  H.  OLDROYD 

Co.  E.  20th  Ohio  Infantry,  1861-1865 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 


the  frame  in  which  it  is  preserved  to  permit  an  inspection  of 
its  mystic  pages.  When  the  following  paragraph  was  read,  he 
said  "That  was  what  had  so  appealed  to  me." 

It  reads:  "The  natural  result  of  democratic  institutions  is 
now  accomplished,  and  a  great  powerful  party  has  selected 
for  its  standard  bearer,  one  who  never  received  more  than  six 
month's  schooling,  who  has  not  only  sprung  directly  from  the 
people,  but  who  still  belongs  to  the  people,  who  is  of  them  5 
who  like  Antaeus,  finds  his  greatest  strength  in  his  contact 
with  that  from  which  he  sprang ;  one  whose  parents  were 
poor,  and  who  is  not  now  rich ;  but  whose  native  energies  and 
untutored  talents  have  obtained  for  him  the  remarkable 
recognition  which  we  chronicle." 

In  October,  1861,  when  Company  E,  20  Ohio  Infantry 
was  organized  in  his  neighborhood,  Osborn  H.  Oldroyd  at 
the  age  of  nineteen  years  was  one  of  the  first  to  enlist  for  a 
period  of  three  years  or  during  the  war,  in  defense  of  the 
Union  and  to  uphold  the  principles  expounded  by  Abraham 
Lincoln  his  idolized  hero. 

Of  his  military  history,  Col.  M.  F.  Force,  under  whose 
command  he  served,  wrote  in  his  history  of  the  20  Ohio  In- 
fantry as  follows : 

"Osborn  H.  Oldroyd,  while  yet  not  of  age,  was  appointed 
Fifth  Sergeant  of  Co.  E,  20  Ohio,  just  before  the  battle  of 
Raymond,  Miss.  His  Company  went  into  the  battle  under 
the  command  of  the  2d  Lieutenant.  Early  in  the  engage- 
ment the  Lieutenant  was  shot  through  the  neck,  the  First  Ser- 
geant was  killed  and  soon  young  Oldroyd  was  in  command 


LIFE   OF  OSBORN   H.   OLDROYD 


of  the  Company.  He  gallantly  held  the  responsible  post  till 
the  close  of  the  battle.  He  was  intelligent,  trusty  and  honor- 
able." 

When  the  First  Sergeant  was  killed  Sergeant  Oldroyd  ran 
over  to  his  body  and  took  the  roll-book  from  his  pocket  and 
took  command  of  the  Company. 

He  was  wounded  in  the  left  hand  as  he  was  aiming  his 
musket — "And  how  it  did  bleed"  he  said,  and  it  being  a  very 
hot  day  as  he  wiped  the  perspiration  from  his  forehead  some 
of  the  blood  smeared  it  and  his  comrades  came  to  him  and 
wanted  him  to  leave  the  field  and  have  his  wound  attended  to, 
they  thinking  he  had  been  shot  in  the  head  from  the  blood  on 
his  forehead  and  neck.  Soon  after  receiving  his  first  wound  his 
bunk-mate  was  killed  near  him  and  as  he  and  another  soldier 
were  carrying  the  body  back  behind  a  tree  Captain  Oldroyd 
received  a  second  wound  in  his  hip.  Before  the  battle  ended 
he  received  a  third  wound  in  the  head  that  grazed  the  side 
and  opened  a  strip  of  scalp.  With  all  of  his  wounds  he  did 
not  leave  the  battle  field  during  the  furious  fighting.  After 
the  battle  he  found  a  fourth  bullet  in  his  mess-can  that  had 
passed  through  his  blanket-roll  and  one  side  of  the  mess-can. 

At  roll  call  after  the  battle,  only  sixteen  of  the  thirty-two 
members  of  the  Company  who  went  into  the  battle  re- 
sponded. They  had  lost  one-half  of  their  number,  in  killed 
and  wounded. 

The  Company  participated  in  the  battles  of  Ft.  Donelson, 
Shiloh,  Vicksburg,  Corinth,  Iuka,  Bollivar,  Grand  Junction 
and  many  minor  engagements. 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 


Captain  Oldroyd  served  continuously  from  date  of  enlist- 
ment to  July  19,  1 865,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged  at 
Camp  Chase,  Ohio,  his  service  having  covered  the  entire 
duration  of  the  war. 

When  returning  home  from  the  service,  he  was  handed 
three  telegrams,  that  had  been  taken  from  a  bulletin  board, 
one  of  which  read,  "Abraham  Lincoln  was  shot  in  Ford's 
Theater,  mortally  wounded"  the  second  read  "Abraham  Lin- 
coln not  expected  to  live"  and  the  third,  "Abraham  Lincoln 
died  at  twenty-two  minutes  past  seven  this  morning." 

Thus  the  capricious  workings  of  fate  denied  Captain  Old- 
royd the  privilege  of  ever  seeing  his  idolized  hero. 

During  the  whole  period  of  his  service  he  kept  a  diary 
and  recorded  each  day's  battle,  life  in  camp  and  details  of 
marches.  On  one  occasion  he  relates  that  he  brushed  the 
powder  from  a  bursting  shell  off  the  paper  upon  which  he 
was  writing  and  had  to  change  his  position  to  get  out  of  range 
of  the  enemy's  guns. 

As  the  diaries  were  filled  they  were  sent  home  for  preser- 
vation. They  were  closely  written  in  a  plain  legible  hand, 
with  faultless  continuity  and  are  wonderfully  preserved, 
almost  as  legible  as  on  the  day  they  were  written  more  than 
sixty  years  ago. 

Upon  his  return  home  from  the  service  he  resumed  his 
work  of  collecting  Lincoln  relics  with  greater  incentive  than 
ever.  His  invincible  resolution  has  never  faltered,  nor  has 
he  ever  wearied  with  the  task.     With  a  determination  as 


10  LIFE  OF  OSBORN   H.  OLDROYD 

strong  as  a  chain  of  iron  he  has  not  swerved  an  inch  from  his 
cherished  plans  and  hopes. 

Captain  Oldroyd  became  Assistant  Steward  of  the  National 
Soldiers  Home  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  for  two  years  next  following 
his  return  home  from  the  army  and  was  Steward  of  the  In- 
sane Asylum  at  Dayton  for  a  period  of  eight  years.  Of  his 
stewardships  the  following  testimonials  sound  the  same  notes 
of  praise  for  duty  faithfully  and  intelligently  performed  in 
civil  life  in  harmony  with  the  fidelity  and  honor  that  charac- 
terized his  military  service. 

Richard  Gundry,  Superintendent  of  the  Hospital  for  the 
Insane  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  states  that  "Mr.  O.  H.  Oldroyd 
was  Steward  of  that  Institution  from  November,  1869,  to 
July,  1874,  the  period  prior  to  1872  was  during  my  incum- 
bency as  Superintendent  of  the  Institution.  I  have  therefore 
a  very  intimate  personal  knowledge  of  Mr.  Oldroyd's  charac- 
ter and  qualifications  and  take  great  pleasure  in  stating  that  I 
have  no  hesitation  in  recommending  him  as  a  man  of  good 
business  qualifications,  strict  integrity  and  great  industry." 

Central  Branch  National  Home  for  Disabled  Soldiers, 
Dayton,  Ohio.  "This  will  bear  evidence  to  the  good  charac- 
ter and  business  habits  of  Mr.  O.  H.  Oldroyd.  He  was  for 
several  years  connected  with  this  Home  as  Assistant  Steward 
and  gave  entire  satisfaction.  His  business  habits  are  good 
and  he  is  strictly  honest.  Any  business  intrusted  to  him  will 
receive  prompt  attention.  Being  a  man  I  shall  hope  to  hear 
that  he  has  been  rewarded  with  abundant  success." — E.  F. 
Brown,  Governor. 


LINCOLN  RESIDENCE,  SPRINGFIELD,  ILLINOIS 
Occupied  from  June  1844  to  1861 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD  1  1 

From  the  Dayton,  Ohio  Journal,  "Captain  O.  H.  Oldroyd 
for  the  last  five  years  Steward  of  the  Southern  Ohio  Hospital 
for  the  Insane  leaves  next  Friday.  In  Captain  Oldroyd's 
change,  Dayton  loses  one  of  the  most  honorable,  upright 
business  men  to  be  found  in  any  community.  During  his 
Stewardship  here  Captain  Oldroyd  has  disbursed  over  half  a 
million  of  dollars,  and  may  point  with  pride  to  the  fact,  that 
during  the  whole  period  of  his  connection  with  the  Institu- 
tion, and  the  handling  of  all  this  vast  sum  of  money,  no  man 
ever  complained  of  being  wronged  out  of  a  cent.  The  ac- 
counts and  vouchers  show  that  the  State  of  Ohio  was  equally 
fortunate  in  this  respect.  In  his  new  home  Captain  Oldroyd 
is  followed  by  the  good  wishes  of  all  who  knew  him  in  Day- 
ton, and  we  feel  certain  that  the  good  qualities  which  won  him 
the  esteem  of  our  citizens  will  make  him  many  new  friends." 

In  1883  he  took  up  his  residence  in  the  Lincoln  Home- 
stead, Springfield,  Illinois,  which  at  that  time  was  unoccupied. 
Here  he  redoubled  his  efforts  to  procure  anything  and  every- 
thing in  any  way  associated  with  the  great  War  President. 

Cities,  Counties  and  State  were  visited  as  well  as  adjoining 
States,  wherever  he  heard  of  a  belonging  of  Abraham  Lin- 
coln, thither  he  went  in  his  tireless  pursuit  of  coveted  relics. 

Captain  Oldroyd  and  his  family  occupied  the  Lincoln  home 
in  Springfield  from  1883  to  1893. 

In  1 887  he  induced  Robert  T.  Lincoln  to  present  the  Lin- 
coln Homestead  to  the  State  of  Illinois.  The  State  upon 
assuming  possession  of  the  property  the  Legislature  pro- 


12  LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 

vided  a  salary  of  one  thousand  dollars  per  annum  for  a  custo- 
dian and  also  a  fund  to  keep  the  Homestead  in  repair. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1 844,  Mr.  Lincoln  built  the  house  in 
which  he  resided  until  he  removed  to  Washington  in  1861. 
It  is  located  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Eighth  and  Jackson 
streets  and  faces  the  west.  It  is  built  for  the  most  part  of 
black  walnut  lumber;  siding,  flooring,  window  and  door 
frames,  casings  inside  and  outside  also  the  cornice  and 
trimmings. 

Pine  was  scarce  and  had  to  be  hauled  a  long  distance  in 
those  days.  A  farmer  near  by  had  a  five  acre  tract  of  black 
walnut  timber  and  furnished  the  material  that  was  used  in 
building  the  house ;  also  several  other  houses  in  Springfield 
were  built  of  the  same  material,  the  cost  of  which  was  no 
greater  than  if  built  of  other  material. 

Captain  Oldroyd  was  selected  as  its  custodian,  and  he  con- 
tinued in  that  capacity  until  1 893,  when  at  the  request  of  the 
Memorial  Association  of  the  District  of  Columbia  he  removed 
his  collection  of  Lincoln  Relics  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and 
with  his  family  took  up  his  residence  in  the  Petersen  house  in 
which  President  Lincoln  died.  It  is  situated  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street  from  the  old  Ford  Theater  in  which  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  was  assassinated  April  14,  1865,  it  being  the 
premises,  5 1 6  Tenth  Street,  N.  W. 

Twenty  years  after  the  close  of  the  war  Captain  Oldroyd 
published  in  book  form  portions  of  the  diaries  under  the  title 
"A  Soldier's  Story  of  the  Siege  of  Vicksburg". 


The  House  in  which  President  Lincoln  Died  in  Washington,  D.  C. 
22  Minutes  Past  Seven  A.  M.,  April  15,  1865 


O.  H.  OLDROYD  AND  WIFE,  LIDA  A.  OLDROYD 


There  is  a  bliss  beyond  all  the  minstrel  has  told, 

Where  two  are  linked  in  one  heavenly  tie 
With    brows    never   changing    and    hearts    never   cold, 

Loving  on  through  all  ills  loving  on  till  they  die 
O,  an  hour  of  a  rapture  so  sacred  is  worth 

A  lifetime  of  heartless  and  wandering  bliss 
And  O,  if  there  be  an  elysium  on  earth — 

It  is  this — it  is  this. 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD  13 

He  also  published  a  book  entitled  "An  Album  of  Immor- 
telles" a  volume  of  six  hundred  pages  of  selections  from  the 
sayings  and  speeches  of  eminent  men  concerning  Lincoln,  and 
extracts  from  his  famous  addresses,  and  poems  on  his  tragic 
death. 

He  is  also  the  author  of  a  valuable  book  on  the  Assassina- 
tion of  Abraham  Lincoln. 

When  Captain  Oldroyd  arrived  in  Washington  with  his 
Memorial  Collection  in  1893,  he  bent  his  unfagging  energies 
to  obtain  additional  relics  in  his  new  field  of  operation. 

By  personal  visits  and  correspondence  over  a  period  of 
thirty-three  years,  mindful  of  the  fact  that  as  the  years 
dimmed  the  past,  the  work  of  rescue  would  become  more  diffi- 
cult as  the  possessors  of  Lincoln  relics  passed  away,  their 
prized  possessions  would  be  scattered  beyond  recovery. 

Captain  Oldroyd  has  continued  his  quest  of  memorials 
since  the  sale  of  the  collection  to  the  Government,  and  will 
continue  to  do  so  until  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  will  summon 
him  to  rest. 

Captain  Oldroyd  married  Lida  A.  Stoneberger  of  Spring- 
field, Illinois,  April  23,  1 873.  He  took  his  bride  to  Dayton, 
Ohio,  where  they  resided  for  five  years. 

Concerning  the  marriage  contract,  with  its  solemn  vows  of 
fidelity  and  its  injunction  against  putting  asunder,  made  fifty- 
four  years  ago,  every  stipulation  has  been  religiously  per- 
formed with  the  same  fixedness  of  purpose  that  has  charac- 
terized Captain  Oldroyd's  unrelenting  pursuit  of  a  goal 
which  he  visioned  in  the  morning  of  his  life. 


14  LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 

With  unified  efforts  they  have  striven  together,  he  with  his 
powerful  individualism  tempered  by  patience  and  a  genial 
humor  and  she  with  womanly  love,  sympathy  and  full  co- 
operation. 

They  have  ever  regulated  and  adjusted  their  lives  to  meet 
the  trials  and  tribulations  that  come  to  all  knowing  that  none 
is  stranger  to  adversity  and  sorrow. 

They  have  lived  in  sublime  fulfillment  of  marital  happi- 
ness and  contentment.  Both  have  found  and  imparted  pleas- 
ure in  the  various  organizations  of  interest  to  each,  he  in 
G.  A.  R.  Associations  and  she  in  Woman's  Relief  Work.  Each 
has  attained  prominence  in  the  Associations  with  which  they 
are  identified. 

THE  COLLECTION 

The  collection  consists  of  several  articles  and  books  that 
belonged  to  President  Lincoln  or  were  in  some  way  connected 
with  him. 

Many  pieces  of  furniture  from  his  home  in  Springfield,  a 
score  of  autograph  letters  and  papers ;  many  pictures  depict- 
ing his  early  life  and  homes;  numerous  badges,  flags  and 
campaign  caricatures  relating  to  the  campaigns  of  1860  and 
1864. 

There  are  many  scenes  in  his  life  connected  with  his  jour- 
ney from  his  home  to  Washington  to  be  inaugurated  Presi- 
dent in  1861. 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD  15 

More  than  one  hundred  caricatures  of  his  administration ; 
one  hundred  and  fifty  pictures  relating  to  the  assassination 
and  funeral  of  the  president. 

Two  score  pictures  of  Booth  depicting  his  flight,  capture, 
death  and  burial. 

Fully  one  thousand  biographies  of  Lincoln  j  histories  of 
slavery,  civil  war  and  publications  relating  to  the  President. 

Hundreds  of  newspapers  dating  from  1843  to  1865,  con- 
taining the  speeches,  war  papers  and  accounts  of  his  death  and 
burial. 

Over  two  hundred  and  fifty  funeral  sermons,  eulogies  and 
addresses  delivered  upon  his  death. 

Sixty-six  pieces  of  sheet  music  published  at  the  time  of  his 
death. 

Sixty-five  photographs  and  illustrations  of  Ford's  Theater, 
the  conspirators,  their  trials  and  executions. 

Two  hundred  and  fifty-three  portraits  of  original  photo- 
graphs, engravings  and  lithographs  -,  eighty-five  engravings 
of  the  President's  family,  groups  of  the  President  and  Cabi- 
net and  allegorical  pictures  3  more  than  thirty  busts,  statu- 
ettes and  masks,  also  several  medallions  ;  nearly  two  hundred 
memorial  and  political  medals  struck  in  the  President's 
honor,  etc. 

Special  interest  is  centered  in  the  following  named  articles 
and  letters  included  in  the  Collection. 


16  LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 

LONG  SOFA 

A  walnut  sofa  upholstered  in  hair-cloth  and  a  rush- 
bottomed  chair  purchased  from  Mr.  Lincoln  in  Springfield 
in  1861. 

FAMILY  BIBLE 

His  father's  family  Bible  in  which  Abraham  had  scrawled 
his  name  when  a  child,  the  surname  being  written  directly 
under  his  christian  name.  This  Bible  was  purchased  by  the 
late  Gardiner  Hubbard  of  Washington  at  a  cost  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  dollars  and  by  him  presented  to  Cap- 
tain Oldroyd. 

WOOLEN  SHAWL 

The  famous  great  woolen  shawl  worn  by  Mr.  Lincoln  on 
many  occasions  when  he  was  President.  Concerning  this 
shawl  Captain  Oldroyd  relates  the  following  circumstances 
of  its  procurement:  A  Mrs.  Fowler  of  Chicago  and  her 
daughter  while  on  a  visit  to  Washington  in  1905  visited  the 
Oldroyd  Collection  and  observing  a  picture  of  Lincoln  clad 
in  his  great  woolen  shawl,  Mrs.  Fowler  told  Captain  Old- 
royd that  she  was  the  owner  and  possessor  of  the  shawl,  which 
she  said  was  presented  to  her  by  her  friend  Mrs.  Lincoln  soon 
after  the  President's  death.  She  remarked  that  the  shawl 
should  be  with  the  collection,  but  said  she  could  not  part  with 
it  during  her  lifetime,  but  upon  her  death  her  daughter  if 
living,  would  present  it  to  the  Oldroyd  Collection. 


LIFE   OF  OSBORN   H.   OLDROYD  17 

Fifteen  years  afterward  in  1920,  the  daughter  brought  the 
shawl  to  Washington  and  presented  it  to  Capt.  Oldroyd.  It 
is  now  preserved  in  a  moth-tight  box  with  a  glass  front. 

ABOUT  WHISKERS 

Of  unusual  interest  is  a  letter  written  to  Mr.  Lincoln  dur- 
ing the  campaign  of  1860  by  little  Grace  Bedell  of  West- 
field,  N.  Y.,  then  eleven  years  old,  a  copy  of  which  accom- 
panied by  a  photograph  of  a  beautiuful  elderly  lady  (Grace 
Bedell)  are  enclosed  in  a  frame  hanging  on  the  wall  in  the 
office  room.  The  little  Miss  noticed  in  the  newspapers  and 
posters  that  Mr.  Lincoln  was  beardless  so  she  decided  to 
write  to  him  advising  him  to  wear  whiskers. 

On  October  19,  1860,  Mr.  Lincoln  wrote  to  Grace  as  fol- 
lows: "  My  dear  little  Miss,  your  very  agreeable  letter  of 
the  15th  inst.  received.  I  regret  the  necessity  of  saying,  I 
have  no  daughter.  I  have  three  sons,  one  seventeen,  one 
nine  and  one  seven  years  of  age,  they  with  their  mother  con- 
stitute my  whole  family.  As  to  the  whiskers,  having  never 
worn  any,  do  you  not  think  people  would  call  it  a  piece  of 
silly  affection,  if  I  were  to  begin  it  now? " 

When  Mr.  Lincoln  was  on  his  way  to  Washington  to  be 
Inaugurated  President,  his  train  stopped  at  Westfield,  N.  Y., 
where  Grace  resided,  and  from  the  rear  end  of  the  platform 
of  his  train,  he  said  there  was  a  little  girl  wrote  to  me  from 
this  place  advising  me  to  wear  whiskers,  I  wonder  if  she  is 
living.    Her  father  lifted  her  to  the  platform  and  Mr.  Lin- 


18  LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 

coin  stooped  down  and  kissed  her  and  said,  "  now  do  you 
think  whiskers  has  made  any  improvement?" 

Mrs.  Grace  Bedell  Billings  of  Delphos,  Kans.,  presented 
the  letter  and  photograph  to  the  Oldroyd  Collection  on  the 
occasion  of  her  visit  to  Washington  and  the  Collection. 

COOKSTOVE 

The  Lincoln  family  cook-stove  on  which  was  prepared  the 
last  meal  of  the  President-Elect  before  starting  for  Wash- 
ington. Mr.  Lincoln  had  been  told  that  the  old  cook-stove 
had  ceased  to  function  properly ;  on  his  way  to  his  office  one 
morning  on  passing  a  hardware  store  he  was  reminded  of  the 
cook-stove.  He  told  the  hardware  dealer  that  "  he  wanted  to 
get  a  cook-stove  that  would  cook".  He  was  shown  the  stove 
now  in  the  Collection.  It  was  guaranteed  to  do  all  that  could 
be  expected  of  a  kitchen  stove.  The  sale  was  made  and  the 
stove  was  ordered  sent  to  the  Lincoln  home.  The  proprietor's 
son  suggested  that  it  might  be  better  to  have  Mrs.  Lincoln 
see  it  before  he  attempted  to  deliver  it,  but  the  distinguished 
purchaser  was  satisfied  and  ordered  it  to  be  sent  as  soon  as 
convenient.  When  it  arrived  at  the  kitchen  door  the  son  of 
the  dealer  was  told  by  Mrs.  Lincoln,  "  She  had  not  ordered 
a  cook-stove  from  anybody  and  there  was  no  use  of  leaving 
it  there."  When  told  that  Mr.  Lincoln  had  purchased  it  and 
ordered  it  delivered  that  morning,  she  remarked,  "  Well  then 
leave  it."    It  made  good  and  looks  well  today. 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD  19 

BLACK  LOCUST  RAIL 

A  black  locust  rail  split  by  "Abe"  Lincoln  and  taken  from 
the  fence  around  his  father's  home  near  Decatur,  111.,  was 
procured  for  the  collection  by  John  Hanks.  It  is  the  para- 
mount object  of  interest  associated  with  the  rail-splitting  days 
of  the  great  patriot  and  liberator. 

PORCH  BENCH 

"  Make  it  extra  long,"  said  Attorney  A.  Lincoln  to  the  cabi- 
net-maker when  giving  him  an  order  for  a  porch-bench  that 
"  he  could  stretch  out  on  during  the  hot  weather."  The  work- 
man followed  instructions  and  a  generous  sized  bench  was 
the  result. 

It  was  made  entirely  of  wood  and  was  of  good  construction. 
Its  exact  size  is:  length  six  feet  and  ten  inches ;  width  twenty 
inches.  It  has  arm-rests  at  the  ends  and  the  back  is  spindled 
half-way  up  and  has  a  wide  back-rest  at  the  top. 

The  Lincoln  home  faces  the  West  and  the  porch  is  at  the 
south  side.  The  court-weary  attorney  was  accustomed  to 
prostrate  his  tall  form  for  a  restful  nap  after  his  midday 
repast,  and  many  of  his  neighbors  and  passers-by  have  de- 
scribed the  familiar  form  resting  quietly  on  the  porch-bench 
during  the  sultry  summer  days  in  the  late  fifties. 

WALNUT  CRADLE 

The  walnut  cradle  in  which  each  of  the  Lincoln  children 
was  rocked  asleep,  is  preserved  in  good  condition.  Judging 
from  its  generous  proportions  especially  from  its  depth  it 


20  LIFE  OF  OSBORN   H.  OLDROYD 

seems  that  all  danger  from  climbing  or  falling  out  of  it  was 
reduced  to  a  minimum.  Imagination  pictures  the  toe  of  the 
great  boot  of  the  father  on  the  top  of  the  rocker-ends,  which 
give  evidence  of  long  use. 

LAST  HANDWRITING 

Five  days  after  the  close  of  the  war  two  gentlemen  called 
at  the  White  House  to  obtain  a  pass  to  visit  Petersburg  and 
Richmond,  Va.  A  few  minutes  previous  to  leaving  the 
Executive  Mansion  in  the  evening  of  April  14,  1865,  to  go 
to  Ford's  Theater,  with  pen  and  ink  he  wrote  the  following 
reply  to  the  above  request.  "  No  pass  is  necessary  now  to 
authorize  any  one  to  go  to  and  return  from  Petersburg  and 
Richmond.  People  go  and  return  just  as  they  did  before  the 
war."  This  was  his  last  hand-writing.  It  is  preserved  under 
glass  with  a  black  covering  to  exclude  the  light. 

BOOTH'S  SPUR 

The  spur  worn  by  Booth  and  which  caught  in  the  folds  of 
a  large  flag  and  caused  him  to  fall  to  the  stage  on  that  fateful 
night  can  now  be  seen  in  the  collection. 

All  of  the  exhibits  form  links  in  a  chain  that  unite  the  past 
with  the  present. 

BLACK  WALNUT  DESK 

It  was  used  by  attorney  Lincoln  from  the  beginning  of  his 
professional  career  and  served  his  purpose  for  many  years. 
It  had  the  old  fashioned  sloping  hinged  top  and  at  the  back 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD  21 

were  two  rows  of  pigeon  holes,  the  space  under  the  lid  was 
used  for  his  books  and  private  papers. 

It  finally  became  the  property  of  one  of  Lincoln's  friends 
living  in  Springfield  and  later  came  into  possession  of  Cap- 
tain Oldroyd. 

WHITE  HOUSE  ROUND  TABLE 

This  mahognany  veneered  table  of  unusual  size  and  finish 
and  of  heavy  construction  was  a  unit  of  the  Executive  Man- 
sion furnishings  and  for  many  years  prior  to  President  Lin- 
coln's incumbency,  was  used  by  his  predecessors,  and  by  him 
throughout  his  administrations. 

Upon  President  Johnson's  accession  he  had  it  condemned 
and  sold.  It  was  purchased  by  an  employe  of  the  White 
House  who  sold  it  to  Captain  Oldroyd. 

SETTEE  ROCKER  AND  STAND 

The  horsehair  upholstered  settee  and  rocker  used  in  the 
Lincoln  family  for  many  years  were  purchased  from  Mr. 
Lincoln  direct,  by  three  sisters  in  Springfield,  "  at  their  own 
price."  Upon  their  removal  to  California  several  years  after- 
ward the  settee,  rocker  and  a  small  stand  were  offered  for 
sale  and  were  purchased  by  Captain  Oldroyd. 

LINCOLN'S  OFFICE  CHAIR 

The  wooden  bottom  office  chair  used  by  Attorney  Lincoln 
while  practicing  law  at  Springfield,  and  in  which  he  sat  when 
he  wrote  his  first  Inaugural  Address  and  formed  his  Cabinet, 
is  still  intact  and  in  a  good  state  of  preservation. 


22  LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 

PAINTED-BACK  CHAIR 

It  is  one  of  those  old-time  masterpieces  of  cabinet-makers' 
skill  built  upon  honor  and  of  good  seasoned  material,  the 
result  of  which  not  a  joint  has  loosened  nor  a  part  broken. 
It  is  of  that  type  of  parlor  chair  that  was  prevalent  a  hundred 
years  ago. 

THE  WHAT-NOT 

Mr.  Lincoln  gave  a  cabinet  maker  in  Springfield  an  old 
black  walnut  bedstead  that  had  been  discarded.  The  cabinet 
maker  converted  the  material  in  it  into  an  ornamental  and 
useful  what-not.  Several  years  afterward  it  came  into  the 
possession  of  Captain  Oldroyd. 

It  is  in  a  good  state  of  preservation  and  is  a  prized  object 
in  the  memorial  collection. 

THE  SURREY  WHEEL 

The  large  hind  wheel  of  the  Lincoln  family  surrey  well 
preserved,  is  a  reminder  of  the  days  when  the  owner  appeared 
in  the  streets  of  Springfield,  often  with  his  feet  extended 
over  the  dash  board,  serenely  oblivious  of  the  smiles  of  his 
friends  and  neighbors.  His  legs  were  too  long  for  the 
limited  space  between  the  driver's  seat  and  the  dash  board 
of  stock  sized  vehicles,  so  the  cramped  position  prompted 
relief  by  an  occasional  horizontal  extension  of  the  tall  man's 
extremities. 


O.  H.  Oldroyd  on  a  Tramping  Tour  over  the  Eighty  Miles  of 
Booth's  Flight 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD  23 

SOLDERING  OUTFIT 

In  May,  1865,  less  than  a  month  from  the  interment  of 
President  Lincoln's  remains  in  the  vault  at  Springfield,  an 
attempt  was  made  by  some  ghouls  in  human  semblance  to 
steal  his  body  and  hold  it  for  ransom.  The  robbers  had  re- 
moved a  marble  slab  and  were  about  to  drag  the  coffin  out 
when  they  were  frightened  away. 

Several  State  officials  visited  the  tomb,  identified  the  body 
and  attested  its  genuineness.  The  coffin  was  then  encased  in 
zinc  and  interred  in  cement  deep  in  the  earth. 

The  soldering  outfit  used  in  encasing  the  coffin,  consisting 
of  fire-pot,  soldering  coppers,  and  a  half-bar  of  solder,  was 
placed  in  the  shop  of  the  tinner  who  did  the  soldering  work, 
where  it  remained  until  the  death  of  the  owner  when  it  be- 
came the  property  of  Captain  Oldroyd. 

JOURNIES  AFOOT 

Captain  Oldroyd  being  of  English  descent  on  his  father's 
side,  seems  to  have  inherited  the  Englishman's  love  of  the 
outdoor  life,  especially  is  he  fond  of  walking.  A  little  jaunt 
of  a  couple  of  hundred  miles  never  used  to  bother  him  in  the 
least,  even  if  he  had  past  his  three  score  years.  His  two  high- 
powered  leg  motors  always  carried  him  safely  to  his  jour- 
ney's end. 

In  order  to  verify  the  story  that  Abe  Lincoln,  as  he  was 
known  in  his  early  days,  walked  from  New  Salem  to  Spring- 
field, to  borrow  law  books,  a  round  trip  distance  of  fifty  miles, 


24  LIFE   OF  OSBORN   H.   OLDROYD 

and  that  it  was  a  common  sight  to  see  young  Lincoln  reading 
the  books  while  walking  along  the  road  on  his  return  trip. 

Captain  Oldroyd  walked  from  Springfield  to  New  Salem 
and  return  to  determine  the  truth  of  the  matter.  Stopping  at 
several  small  places  along  the  road  he  would  hunt  out  the 
older  people  and  assuming  an  antagonistic  or  doubtful  view 
of  the  truth  of  the  stories  told,  would  draw  from  them  a 
sincere  voluntary  statement  vouching  for  the  truth  of  the 
stories,  saying  that  they  had  often  seen  Abe  Lincoln  pass 
along  the  road  to  New  Salem  reading  books. 

When  sixty-three  years  of  age  Captain  Oldroyd  started 
on  a  trip  to  Europe,  walking  from  Washington,  D.  C,  to 
Philadelphia  from  whence  he  sailed  to  England,  and  upon 
his  arrival  in  Ireland  started  on  a  journey  afoot  through  Ire- 
land, Scotland  and  England,  1200  miles,  visiting  over  a  hun- 
dred points  of  interest  in  those  countries. 

To  him  the  most  interesting  place  of  all  the  places  visited 
was  Huddersfield,  England,  where  his  paternal  grandfather 
formerly  lived  and  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  fine 
woolen  blankets.  He  searched  the  city  records  for  his  grand- 
father's name  and  place  of  business.  He  was  unable  to  find 
any  person's  name  similar  to  his  own.  He  thought  it  very 
strange  as  the  records  antedated  even  the  time  of  his  great- 
grandfather. He  informed  the  keeper  of  the  records  that 
his  grandfather  was  a  well  known  manufacturer  living  in 
Huddersfield  and  that  he  was  unable  to  find  anyone  of  his 
name  in  the  records.    The  recorder  asked  him  his  name  and 


^prgg^^^^^^^^^^g 

i    1 

■If'                                        ^*«^ 

'4*« 

THE  LOG  CABIN 


Birthplace  of  Abraham  Lincoln  Near  Hodgensville,  Kentucky, 
February  12,  1809. 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD  25 

Captain  Oldroyd  handed  him  one  of  his  cards  j  the  recorder 
then  asked  him  under  what  letter  he  had  searched  the  rec- 
ords, he  was  told  under  the  letter  O,  whereupon  the  recorder 
apparently  much  surprised,  said  "  Well  my  good  man  you 
should  have  looked  under  the  (hay-ches)." 

Captain  Oldroyd  reexamined  the  records  under  the  "  hay- 
ches"  and  found  columns  of  Holdroyds  his  grandfather's 
name,  occupation  and  place  of  business  among  the  others. 

His  grandfather  Charles  Oldroyd  came  to  America  in 
1809  and  settled  in  Wayne  County,  Ohio.  Coincidentally 
only  a  few  weeks  prior  there  was  born  in  the  adjoining  State 
of  Kentucky  a  baby-boy  who  was  predestined  to  have  his 
name  recorded  among  the  truly  great  in  the  annals  of  his- 
tory that  would  abide  through  the  coming  centuries. 
They  named  the  child  Abraham  and  his  memory  is  preserved 
in  a  grand  memorial  structure  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac 
River  that  has  excited  the  profound  admiration  of  the 
civilized  world. 

As  the  pauseless  stream  of  time  flowed  on  and  the  years 
passed  as  a  tale  that  is  told,  a  scion  of  the  pioneer  settler  in 
Ohio  became  the  ardent  admirer  of  a  scion  of  the  poorer 
settler  in  Kentucky  who  hewed  the  logs  of  his  cabin  from  the 
forest  near  which  he  dwelt. 

Upon  his  return  to  Washington  he  delivered  an  illustrated 
lecture  on  his  journeys  abroad,  in  the  Congregational  Church 
to  a  crowded  house,  and  at  other  places  in  the  Capital  at  the 
request  of  various  organizations. 


26  LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 

In  October,  1913,  he  had  some  business  to  transact  in  New 
York  City  j  providing  himself  as  usual  with  a  knapsack  and 
umbrella  he  started  afoot  for  the  Metropolis.  He  slowed 
down  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  to  view  the  famous  bronze  statue  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  A  prominent  editor  of  a  Newark  news- 
paper and  a  photographer  accompanied  him  to  the  site  of  the 
statue.  The  photographer  suggested  that  Captain  Oldroyd 
stand  up  beside  the  statue  and  be  included  in  the  picture.  The 
Captain  politely  declined,  saying  that  "  he  was  not  worthy  of 
such  an  honor  and  would  not  for  a  hundred  dollars  impose 
his  likeness  even  beside  a  statue  of  the  great  man  whom  he 
revered  above  all  mortal  beings."  He  stood  on  the  steps 
used  by  the  general  public  and  gazed  long  and  steadily  into 
the  face  of  the  statute  which  appeared  to  extend  a  silent 
greeting. 

Another  hike  of  eighty  miles  was  in  the  direction  of  the 
home  of  the  late  Dr.  Mudd  at  whose  home  Booth  found 
shelter  on  the  night  of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln. 

Mrs.  Mudd  received  him  cordially  upon  learning  who  he 
was  and  the  nature  of  his  errand.  She  told  Captain  Oldroyd 
that  Dr.  Mudd  upbraided  Booth  for  his  rashness  and  told 
him  that  he  had  inflicted  an  irreparable  injury  to  the  South. 
She  also  said  that  when  Booth  arrived  at  their  home  his  ankle 
and  leg  were  so  badly  swollen  that  it  was  necessary  to  slit  the 
bootleg  to  get  his  foot  out  of  it.  Speaking  of  the  spur  which 
was  attached  to  the  boot  she  said  it  was  in  the  possession  of  a 
gentleman  living  about  eight  miles  farther  up  the  road.  Bid- 
ding her  adieu  Captain  Oldroyd  continued  his  journey  to  the 


O.  H.  Oldroyd  Viewing  the  Bronze  Statue  of  Lincoln  at 
Newark,  New  Jersey 


Ford's  Theater,  Washington,  D.  C,  in  which  President  Lincoln 
Was  Shot  20  Minutes  Past  10  P.  M.,  April  14,  1865 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN   H.  OLDROYD  27 

home  of  the  possessor  of  the  spur  and  after  some  dickering 
with  him  he  became  the  owner  and  possessor  of  the  relic  at  a 
cost  of  fifty  dollars. 

Captain  Oldroyd  continued  his  hike  from  the  former  spur 
owner's  home  to  the  home  of  the  Garrett  brothers  where 
Booth  had  gone  after  leaving  the  home  of  Dr.  Mudd  and 
where  Booth  was  killed  while  hiding  in  a  barn.  The  brothers 
told  the  Captain  they  had  told  Booth  that  he  had  committed 
an  awful  blunder  and  that  the  whole  South  would  suffer 
from  his  act.  An  invitation  by  the  Garrett  brothers  to  re- 
main over  night  was  accepted  and  the  evening  was  spent  in 
going  over  the  startling  events  of  Booth's  capture  and  tragic 
death  in  the  barn. 

The  brothers  said  that  on  the  night  of  the  capture  of  Booth 
at  two  o'clock  A.  M.,  a  squad  of  Cavalry  surrounded  the 
Garrett  house  and  began  to  search  the  house  when  the  Gar- 
rett brothers  ran  to  the  house  from  the  corn-crib  near  the 
tobacco  barn  where  Booth  and  Herold  had  sought  refuge  and 
told  Lieutenant  Baker  that  the  men  they  were  looking  for 
were  in  the  tobacco  barn.  The  barn  was  immediately  sur- 
rounded and  Booth  was  commanded  to  come  out  and  sur- 
render, upon  his  refusal  to  come  out  the  barn  was  set  on  fire. 
Boston  Corbett,  one  of  the  soldiers  seeing  Booth  in  the  barn 
fired  through  a  crack  the  bullet  passed  through  his  neck  and 
he  fell  mortally  wounded.  He  died  two  hours  later  on  the 
front  porch  of  the  house. 


28 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 


The  Garrett  brothers  said  the  reason  for  their  going  to 
the  corn-crib  to  sleep  that  night  was  they  feared  the  two  men 
in  the  tobacco-barn  might  run  away  with  two  of  their  horses 
in  their  attempt  to  escape. 

Captain  Oldroyd  returned  to  Washington  having  accom- 
plished the  object  of  his  trip  into  Maryland  and  Virginia. 

*       *       * 

No  life  can  pass  unvexed,  unteared  and  so  in  the  life  of 
Captain  Oldroyd  the  strong  self-reliant  man  who  had  faced 
death  on  many  battlefields  there  came  a  dread  messenger 
and  bore  away  his  only  grandchild.  The  strong  man  bowed 
like  a  broken  reed  and  suffered  a  more  poignant  sting  than  he 
had  ever  experienced  from  bullets  of  war  or  from  accident 
and  disease. 

Great  was  the  joy  in  the  Oldroyd  home  when  a  little  baby 
grandchild  came  to  gladden  their  lives  on  July  17,  1 896. 

When  grandfather  Oldroyd  saw  the  baby  that  day  with 
her  little  fists  clinched,  he  placed  a  tiny  silk  flag  in  her  hand. 
That  flag  now  stands  beside  a  photograph  of  a  sweet  fluffy- 
haired  little  Miss  on  his  desk  "  in  the  corner". 

Little  Josephine  as  the  baby  was  named  brightened  the 
home  and  as  she  grew  up  her  sweet  smiling  face  brought  sun- 
shine into  the  house  when  it  was  cloudy  and  dark  outside. 

When  about  six  years  old,  she  had  committed  to  memory 
several  verses  and  songs  relating  to  the  flag,  and  when  she 
accompanied  her  grandfather,  her  inseparable  companion,  to 
meetings  of  the  various  organizations  to  which  he  belonged, 


0 


JOSEPHINE  OLDROYD  TIEFENTHALER 
Born  July  17,   1896 — Died  February  20,   1908 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD  29 

with  flag  in  hand  she  would  recite  the  poems  with  so  much 
zest  that  the  applause  which  followed  equaled  or  exceeded 
that  given  to  the  speakers. 

When  she  was  nine  years  old  she  learned  to  operate  the 
typewriting  machine  in  her  grandfather's  "  corner"  and 
would  assist  him  in  many  ways  in  the  care  of  the  Lincoln  Col- 
lection. She  would  greet  him  every  morning  with  an  arm 
about  his  neck,  a  kiss  and  a  smile  that  gladdened  the  day. 

From  the  mystery  of  birth  to  the  mystery  of  death  was 
only  a  span  of  a  dozen  years  in  the  earthly  existence  of  little 
Josephine.     In  February,    1908,  she  began  to   fade  and 
gradually  the  insidious  disease  spinal  meningitis  blighted  the 
bud  that  was  about  to  blossom  in  all  its  fragrant  loveliness. 

Great  was  the  sadness  in  the  Oldroyd  home  when  on 
February  20,  1908,  her  tiny  spirit  was  upborne  by  the  angels 
of  light  in  undecaying  form  and  in  resurrected  grace  to  the 
realm  of  glory  from  whence  it  came. 

Thus  two  of  Captain  Oldroyd's  ideals  had  taken  their 
earthly  departure  from  the  same  habitation  for  that  city  not 
made  with  hands  eternal  in  the  heavens. 

SALE  OF  COLLECTION 

The  climax  of  Captain  Oldroyd's  ambition  was  attained 
when  he  sold  his  Collection  to  the  United  States  Government, 
August  30,  1926. 

The  sum  of  $50,000  was  appropriated  by  Congress  for  the 
purchase  of  the  Oldroyd  Collection  of  Lincoln  Mementos  and 
when  the  Government  Agent  handed  Captain  Oldroyd  a 


30  LIFE   OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD 

check  for  the  amount  mentioned,  the  Captain  said:  "  It  was 
not  the  financial  consideration  that  constituted  the  goal  for 
which  he  had  been  striving  so  long,  for  he  had  received  offers 
from  outside  parties  far  in  excess  of  the  amount  the  Govern- 
ment had  paid,  but  he  had  steadfastly  declined  all  offers,  say- 
ing, that  price  was  a  secondary  consideration  in  the  disposal 
of  the  collection,  and  that  he  had  never  set  a  price  upon  it; 
but  what  he  prized  most  was  the  knowledge  that  his  Lincoln 
relics  were  now  the  property  of  the  Government  where  the 
rising  and  unborn  generations  can  read  in  the  Mementos  of 
Abraham  Lincoln  the  story  of  his  humble  beginning  and  final 
attainment  of  the  highest  and  most  exalted  station  that  the 
civilized  world  could  bestow." 

The  Agent  informed  Captain  Oldroyd  that  he  was  author- 
ized to  offer  him  the  Custodianship  of  the  Collection  and  re- 
quested him  to  accept  the  position  and  continue  his  guardian- 
ship. 

The  Captain  replied,  "  the  responsibility  would  be  too 
much  for  me  to  assume  at  my  age  of  eighty-four  years." 

Well,  Captain,  rejoined  the  Agent,  I  am  also  authorized  as 
an  alternative,  to  tender  to  you  a  key  of  the  house  and  to 
permit  you  to  occupy  your  accustomed  corner  as  long  as  you 
live,  to  come  and  go  whenever  you  please. 

When  the  Agent  and  photographers  had  departed,  Captain 
Oldroyd  looked  upon  the  prized  Collection  at  a  different 
angle  from  which  he  had  ever  before  viewed  it.    A  look  of 


LINCOLN  MONUMENT 

Springfield,   Illinois 


LIFE  OF  OSBORN  H.  OLDROYD  31 

sadness  akin  to  that  of  bereavement,  a  far  away  expression 
of  deep  regret  came  into  his  eyes  as  he  realized  the  words  of 
the  poet; 

"  Thou  art  sold  my  Arab  steed  thou  art  sold! " 

Osborn  H.  Oldroyd  seized  an  opportunity  which  he  recog- 
nized was  within  his  capability  of  accomplishment  when  only 
a  youth,  and  resolved  to  devote  his  life  in  quest  of  everything 
available  in  connection  with  the  life  of  Abraham  Lincoln  his 
chosen  ideal. 

The  herculean  task  that  he  set  out  to  accomplish  has  been 
performed.  It  was  the  result  of  patient,  plodding  industry 
that  enabled  him  to  reach  its  consummation  and  crown  his 
declining  years. 

His  chosen  field  of  endeavor  has  been  unique  and  unusual. 

He  surmounted  many  obstacles.  His  ambition  has  fed  his 
determination  to  accomplish  something  worth  while,  in  con- 
sequence his  work  is  enduring.  His  sentiment  and  idealism 
is  manifested  in  his  life  work.  Absolute  sincerity  is  a  natural 
element  in  his  character.  Hypocrisy  and  pretense  form  no 
part  in  his  make  up. 

Complete  and  well  rounded  is  his  life  which  has  exceeded 
the  extreme  limit  alloted  by  the  psalmist  as  the  duration  of 
human  life. 

Whenever  the  question  of  what  constitutes  a  successful 
life  arises  to  perplex,  as  it  has  ever  perplexed  humanity,  turn 
to  the  life  of  Osborn  H.  Oldroyd  and  find  the  true  answer 
to  the  question  written  in  his  life  work. 


BERESFORD,    PR., 

605    F    STREET,    NORTHWEST. 

CITY   OF    WASHINGTON. 


& 


